Archive for December 2017

The BORP kids have had a great couple of months as they have prepared for the beginning of the season. The kids were able to play a pre-game scrimmage at the Warriors game on Nov. 24, just before the Warriors took on the Chicago Bulls at Oracle Arena. After a few nervous minutes on the court, Ben Thornton took over and ran the court like a pro. Cutting through the defense he was able to score at will. Ella Rodriguez settled down to start hitting her outside shot and kept the scrimmage exciting.

Thanks to everyone that supported the event by purchasing tickets to the game.

The Varsity team went on to open their season at the Western Regional Tournament in Phoenix, AZ. The team is in a rebuilding year, having lost several of their starters from last year, and are in a position where all the kids are having to understand new roles within the team. The kids had a rough tournament, going 0-5 on the weekend, but were able to get better each game and really start working with each other much better. Only five players made the trip, which meant that there were no substitutions or breaks for the kids. As much as it is never fun to lose, the team was amazing at how they continued to work their butts off through the weekend. They played until they dropped and at the end of the day they pretty much passed out on the bus.

It was a great trip, even with the losing record, and the team is already working hard to prepare for the next tournaments in January.

In my various roles during the BORP Goalball Invitational, I am generally too busy to reflect on the events and tenor of the day while it is happening. And year XXIII was no different as we crammed 12 exciting games into an 8-hour period. However, in immediate contemplation post-competition (and with the help of a cold beer(s)), I was most struck by the camaraderie among the athletes and teams and the support the veteran players provide to the less experienced. So, while this event is very much a competition, for me it also embodies the sports experience at its best for the athletes, spectators, and volunteers! It wouldn’t be possible without all of you!

GAME 1: Honey Badgers versus Seriously! Seriously! was not able to field a full squad for this game and played with only 2 players: Bryanna Stubbert and Brandon Young. The Seriously! 2 put up a valiant fight but Honey Badgers were able to find the gaps and hold off Seriously!’s late surge and won 7-4. Chris Lucero had 4 goals for the Honey Badgers and Brandon Young had 4 on the losing side. The Badgers other 3 goals came from Michelle Yoo.

GAME 2: Replicas versus Walking Dead. Two powerhouse teams took the court and both came out firing bombs! Replicas took an early 3-0 lead behind Joe Hamilton’s 3 goals but that lead was gone in a jiffy as Grej Pesjaka scored 5 unanswered goals in a minute and a half to put the Dead up 5-3 at halftime. In the 2nd half the Hamilton/Pesjaka duel continued but the Replicas slowly crept ahead as Replicas’ Roger Acuna found the net for 2 critical goals. The Replicas again fashioned a lead late in the 2nd half and their defense steadied just enough in the final 3 minutes to capture a 10-8 victory. Joe Hamilton had 8 goals for Replicas and Grej Pesjaka had 8 for the Walking Dead.

GAME 3: Seriously! versus Cal Bears. Early nerves put Cal in a 4-1 halftime hole as the defense was slow to get into gear. Seriously!’s goals in the 1st half came from Mandy Gargano (3) and Brandon Young (1). The second half was more of the same as Young (2) and Gargano (1) led Seriously! to a 7-2 triumph over the Bears. Sergio Lopez and Tiffany Zhao each had a goal for Cal.

Christella Garcia throws the ball

GAME 4: Honey Badgers versus Replicas. An early goal by Replicas’ Christella Garcia was the only score in the 1st half as both teams played superlative defense. In the 2nd half the Replicas built their lead to 3-0 with goals coming from Garcia and Casimir Werda. Starting at the 3:22 mark the Honey Badgers offense came alive and goals from Lucero (2), Jeshua Aveno (1) and Yoo (1) put the Badgers ahead 4-3 with 14 seconds left. This only left time for one more throw from the Replicas’s and Garcia made it count with a goal and a 4-4 tie.

GAME 5: Cal Bears versus Walking Dead. A re-grouped Bears team shed their first game jitters and took a 3-0 lead in the 1st half with goals from Lopez (2) and Jessica Adams (1). Walking Dead’s Pesjaka led a 2nd half surge with 5 goals but the Bears kept up their scoring as Lopez tallied 3 and Adams 1 to earn a 7-5 win.

GAME 6: Seriously! versus Replicas. Replicas blistered the nets throughout the 1st half and took a 6-3 lead with goals from Hamilton (3), Acuna (2) and Garcia (1). Both teams came out with a defensive mindset in the 2nd half and shot after shot was blocked with each team getting only one more goal and Replicas eventually taking the 7-4 win. Replicas final goal tallies were: Hamilton 3, Acuna 3 and Garcia 1 while Seriously! had 2 from Khemnesuel Fisher, 1 from Bryanna Stubbert and 1 from Young.

GAME 7: Walking Dead versus Honey Badgers. Walking Dead got an early goal and never took their foot off the gas pedal against the Honey Badgers. Badgers got 2 late goals in the 2nd half but no answer for the Dead onslaught and lost 9-2. Dead goals came from Pesjaka (5), Victor Hakopian (2), Jon Marcotte (1) and Elena Hodges (1). Honey Badgers’ Aveno and Lucero had 1 goal each.

GAME 8: Replicas versus CAL Bears. Team defense was the story of this game with Replicas Building a 3-1 lead behind goals from Acuna (2) and Micah Aveno (1). In the 2nd half Cal scored an early goal to pull within 1 but could not break through and lost the nail-biter 3-2. Sergio Lopez scored both Cal goals.

GAME 9: Walking Dead versus Seriously!. Young and Fisher led the offense for Seriously! while Pesjaka was in top form for Walking Dead. When the dust had settled Dead had an 8-6 win with all 8 goals coming from Pesjaka. Fisher (4) and Young (2) had the Seriously! goals.

Jeshua Aveno dives to block the ball.

GAME 10: Cal Bears versus Honey Badgers. Brilliant defense characterized the first half of this match. At halftime, the score was 1-1 with Lopez scoring the Bears goal and Aveno the Badgers lone tally. The 2nd half was similar through the first 2 minutes but then the Bears went on a goal-a-minute spree, with 2 goals each from Lopez and Adams, and rolled to a 5-1 triumph.

With Pool Play complete the matchups for the playoffs were set with Walking Dead facing Honey Badgers in the 3rd Place game and Replicas and Cal Bears in the title match.

GAME 11: 3rd Place: Walking Dead versus Honey Badgers. In pool play Walking Dead had made quick work of Honey Badgers but the 3rd Place game was a different story. Both teams were in good defensive form and half #1 ended in a 2-2 tie. Dead’s 2 goals came from Hakopian while Badgers got 1 apiece from Aveno and Lucero. In the 2nd half the Badgers crept ahead 4-2 with goals from Aveno and Lucero, but that lead evaporated quickly as the Dead’s Pesjaka blasted 3 quick goals through the Badgers defense. The Badgers got a tying goal (5-5) from Yoo with 1:35 left but Pesjaka found the net one more time with 40 second left and secured the 6-5 3rd Place victory for the Walking Dead.

Cal Bears embrace after winning the tournament

GAME 12: 1st Place: Cal Bears versus Replicas. The Bears who started the day with a shaky defense, re-found their mojo to get in the title game while the Replicas used their all-around game play throughout the day to earn their spot. Cal owned the first half and the first 6 minutes of the 2nd half and had a 4-0 lead with 1 minute left behind 4 goals from Lopez. Quick back-to-back goals from the Replicas’ Hamilton put the result in doubt with 32 looong seconds left. However, with the game on the line, Cal tightened up their defense and won the title of BORP Goalball Invitational XXIII, 4-2. Go Bears!

End of an Era

Bill Johnson, BORP goalball volunteer, for almost 3 decades is moving to Grant’s Pass Oregon. BORP Goalball commissioned a tribute book for Bill from Scot Goodman including photos from his career at BORP and the following text.

“Bill Johnson Loves Goalball!

And the BORP Goalball Program and all our participants benefited from that love for almost 30 years. Bill wore every hat the program has, including: player, coach, referee, driver. floor taper, fundraiser, team sponsor (Autopsychic.com) and ambassador. Nearly every week (thanks, Teresa) Bill showed up early to help set up the court, coach early arrivals and rookies, play, referee, shag balls, clean up and ferry people to BART or Lane Splitters for post-practice “analysis”. Known in his playing days as InvinciBill (or InvisiBill) he is definitely IrreplaceaBill and his contributions to the long term success of BORP Goalball will never be eclipsed.”

New Seated Tai Chi Class Beginning January 3rd with Ralph Somack at the BORP Fitness Studio

Wednesdays 10:45-11:45 am

Instructor: Ralph Somack

In this class, we will practice selected movements derived from the internal Chinese Martial Arts consisting mainly of Quang Ping Yang and Sun style Tai Chi and Ba Gua (Pa Kua). Tai Chi uses slow circular movements as a training aid to develop sensitivity and body alignment. Ba Gua emphases spiral movement energy likened to a “dragon soaring through the clouds”. Both disciplines use movements initiated by the “core” muscle groups to generate force. Tai Chi and Ba Gua are examples of moving meditation as well as sophisticated methods of building and applying refined power and integrating the mind, body, and spirit

*PacWest Performance Cycling Program in partnership with BORP inside the Fitness Studio located at Ed Roberts Campus building directly across from the Ashby BART Station.

This training program features Wahoo Fitness’ industry-leading KICKR smart trainers and their innovative KICKR Studio wireless multi-rider system. All riders will train using their FTP (functional threshold power) as well as track heart rate, cadence and calories burned. Individual results are emailed immediately following the conclusion of each workout.

Current Class ScheduleDays: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Time: 6:00-7:15 am
No classes during the week of December 25-29.

Your First Drop-In Class is FREE — Then if you like the program, PacWest is offering a special $99 introductory package for six (6) classes.

Beginning January 16, 2018, reservations will be required to visit Muir Woods for all vehicles, including those needing accessible parking, and shuttle riders. Visitors will have the option to reserve either a vehicle parking space for $8 per car or a seat on the shuttle for $3 per adult. A vehicle or shuttle reservation provides the visitor with a timed arrival with no restriction on the length of stay for the remainder of the day. Reservations can be made online or by phone beginning January 1.

The shuttle is wheelchair accessible and can accommodate 2 people in wheelchairs. Shuttle pick up locations are at the Pohono Street Park & Ride Lot in Sausalito and the Sausalito Ferry Terminal. It will run every weekend and holiday beginning January 20, 2018, and on weekdays during peak summer months.

This plan is being implemented to address the significant increase in visitation to the park that has caused major traffic congestion and overcrowding. Click here for more information.